Guerilla grow question? Avoiding skunks at night.

[soil margin]

So I've got a guerilla spot I'm ready to start prepping and planting this next week. It's approximately 80-90 yards from a small street that runs through a canyon.

My only concern is there is a relatively large skunk population in the area. Lots of canyons around.

Due to visibility concerns I will be making most of the trips and doing the work late at night I think. This is a fairly urban area so walking around with a bright flashlight to spot skunks is probably a big no-no. Brush is EXTREMELY thick around the area I've chosen and looks like foliage that skunks would hang out/nest in.

FLIR goggles would be a nice solution but sadly I can't afford such cool technology on my current grow budget.

Anyone have suggestions on keeping skunks away from me and my plants while growing at night?

 

[slartibartfast4]

I wouldn't worry to much, skunks are pretty inoffensive creatures and only spray if they have no choice. If you hear something rustling in the dark just stand still,say hello in a quite calm voice and let them walk away from you before continuing. If your visits to your grow location have left trails it is probable that the local critters will take advantage of the clear and easy walking they provide so watch out for that. If your using lots of blood and bone meal and not digging it into the soil well that might increase your chances of meeting skunks and other critters near your plants, as far as skunks are concerned blood meal is every bit as much a treat as we consider maple syrup.
With the flashlight you could cover the lens with some sort of red transparent material as it will decrease the visibility and not interfere with your night vision making it much easier to avoid skunk related mishaps but overall the risk is low and of the many hundreds of skunks i have run into i have never been sprayed and if you take the time to get to know them they are pretty endearing creatures. One last point is that they don't win any awards in the vision department so making some noise (of course not to much considering your location) will give them plenty of warning that you are around.
Slart

 

[Wendull C.]

Piss on your trail and around your patch. The animal will recognize an alpha predator has claimed the area and avoid it for the most part.

 

[soil margin]

If your using lots of blood and bone meal and not digging it into the soil well that might increase your chances of meeting skunks and other critters near your plants, as far as skunks are concerned blood meal is every bit as much a treat as we consider maple syrup.

Yeah good point on the blood and bone meal. I'm actually going to avoid using those ferts just for that reason. Don't need critters digging up my girls before harvest.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Hopefully me and the skunks can stay out of each others way.